Chancroid

chan·croid   (shāng'kroid')    n.  A soft, highly infectious, nonsyphilitic venereal ulcer of the genital region, caused by the bacillus Hemophilus ducreyi. Also called soft chancre. [French chancroïde, from chancre, chancre; see chancre.] chan·croi'dal (-kroid'l) adj.

Main Entry: chan·croid
Pronunciation: 'sha[ng]-"kroid
Function: noun
: a venereal disease caused by a hemophilic bacterium of the genusHaemophilus (H. ducreyi) and characterized by chancres that differ from those of syphilis in lacking firm indurated margins called also soft chancre; —see DUCREY'S BACILLUS —chan·croi·dal /sha[ng]-'kroid-^&l/ adjective

chancroid chan·croid (shāng'kroid')
n.
An infectious venereal ulcer at the site of infection by Haemophilus ducreyi beginning after an incubation period of 3 to 5 days. Also called soft ulcer, venereal ulcer.

---

chan'croi'dal (-kroid'l) adj.

chancroid

acute, localized, chiefly sexually transmitted disease, usually of the genital area, caused by the bacillus Haemophilus ducreyi. It is characterized by the appearance, 3-5 days after exposure, of a painful, shallow ulcer at the site of infection. Such an ulcer is termed a soft chancre, as opposed to a hard chancre, which is the characteristic lesion of the primary stage of infectious syphilis. The appearance of the soft chancre is followed by enlargement and inflammation of the regional lymph nodes. Sulfonamide drugs inhibit the growth of the microorganism; erythromycin and streptomycin are among the most effective drugs used for treatment of the disease.

Learn more about chancroid with a free trial on Britannica.com.